Protecting a world-scale mega mining and tunnelling project in a national park

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Introduction

The Anglo American mining project in North Yorkshire is one of the UK’s largest infrastructure ventures, valued at £10 billion. It aims to extract polyhalite from deep underground reserves across five major sites, involving the construction of deep shafts (up to 2000 meters) and a 40 km underground tunnel linking Teesside to Whitby at a depth of 300 meters.

Triton Risk Management, a leader in security and emergency response services, was entrusted with safeguarding this massive project. Their role includes protecting personnel, preventing external threats, and managing emergencies involving site hazards. This case study highlights Triton’s significant contributions to ensuring the project’s safety and success.

The Challenge

The scale and complexity of the Anglo American project posed several unique challenges for Triton Risk Management:

Triton’s Approach

We do not provide conventional safety, security and emergency response services. We have developed our solutions over many years to meet the specific challenges of our clients who operate in high-risk environments.

In one case, the specialist training and development of our staff help keep thousands of workers safe and secure at Anglo American’s Woodsmith Project; the first mine to be built in the UK in over 60 years and one of the most complex and challenging construction projects in the world.

Safeguarding and Securing Operations

Triton adopted a proactive, multi-layered approach to safeguarding the project’s operations:

In a public place, when someone suffers a severe accident, a friend or passer-by does what they can before contacting emergency services, who immediately rush to treat them. In the case of a rigorously-secured, multi-billion-pound construction project, things are much more complicated.

Mining involves working in potentially hazardous conditions and encompasses the use of heavy machinery and tools that are potentially dangerous. Working in mines exposes people to risks, such as explosions, fires, inrushes of gas or water and more – Which is why being prepared for emergencies, in the unlikely event they should occur is vitally important.

Once triggered, a complex, but rapid, system of responses from on-site dedicated Mines Rescue Teams are mobilised and within minutes, our specialist teams are in attendance. Whilst they must consider the support from local authority emergency services, the nature of rescuing people from deep mines and tunnels is far from straightforward, and operators must demonstrate their ability to effectively deal with underground emergencies without the help of the Police, Fire or Ambulance Service – which is why we have established a new, self-sufficient modern Mines and Tunnel Rescue Service.

We have pioneered this new approach in the mining and tunnelling industry, supporting clients operating in hazardous environments on major infrastructure projects with different skills which are tailored to their specific risks. Historically, Mines Rescue was a state-funded service in the United Kingdom, but the collapse of the mining industry, in particular coal mining led to the demise of the service. However, a new resurgence and rejuvenation of the mining and tunnelling industry here in the United Kingdom has led Triton Risk Management to establish a new modern Mines and Tunnel Rescue Service that operates on a national and international level.

On an internationally significant project like this, which has a constantly evolving environment and that will see thousands of workers actively involved at its peak, ‘normal’ just is not enough – which is why we strive for ‘World-Class’, to meet the demands of a world-scale project.

Our Mines and Tunnel Rescue Team are arguably the most well-trained and well-equipped in the industry – but certainly one of the largest groups of dedicated specialists on a global scale. They undergo a range of tailored training programmes, during which they are exposed to all the credible risks and scenarios the project faces. It is an ongoing programme of development and maintenance of competence which is specific to the project, but aligned to the needs of the wider, more modern mining and tunnelling industry.

Emergency Response and Incident Management

Triton has established a structured response system to handle emergencies:

There is a financial incentive to smooth operations. A single day of missed work on any project can be extraordinarily costly, and ensuring thousands of contractors and staff go home safe every day is a feat involving robust safeguarding and emergency response – something we pride ourselves on. For projects like this, it’s an intelligent application of people and resources and is a clear indication of our commitment to continuous improvement for the wider mining and tunnelling industry which is seeing a welcomed resurgence – Modern and innovative world-leading solutions for 21st century mining and tunnelling.

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